The first production Ford Model T leaves the Piquette Plant in Detroit, Mich. It was the first car ever manufactured on an assembly line, with interchangeable parts. The auto industry was to become a major U.S. employer, accounting for as many as one of every eight to 10 jobs in the country .- Union Communication Services

Teamster Nation introduces a weekly podcastMar. 3, 2014| The IBT launched a weekly podcast last week that summarizes the latest in headline news from Teamster locals and the national union. Listen to the first 12-minute episode here. Subscribe here to add it to your weekly stop for key Teamster news.

PA Teamsters stand against Paycheck Deception billMar. 7, 2014| Teamster members and leaders joined with York County legislators to dennouce what has been termed the ‘Paycheck Deception Bill’ (House Bill 1507) at a press conference today…"HB 1507 has one purpose and only one purpose – to weaken unions and lower our wages," said Danny Grace, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 830 in Philadelphia. Full story at teamster.org. Related:‘We’re Teamsters, we’re Republican and we vote – but not for anti-worker politicians.’

Teamsters back school bus drivers in fight against 'rampant' wage theftMar. 11, 2014| More than 350 Baltimore-area bus drivers are preparing to celebrate victory in a $1.24 million wage theft case against Durham School Services, an Illinois-based business contracting company with operations across much of the country…The settlement of the U.S. District Court case should be finalized April 4, with distribution of the stolen wage money following immediately afterward, says Moe Jackson, a union organizer for Teamsters Local 570. The Teamsters initiated the wage theft case on behalf of the workers. Full story at inthesetimes.org.

Teamsters host UPS workers union network meetingMar. 14, 2014| The Union is hosting an international delegation of representatives from trade unions that represent UPS workers worldwide to share information and coordinate strategies. Learn more at teamsters.org.

IBT: Time for Congress to move on income inequalityMar. 17, 2014| A Senate committee took up discussion of income inequality during a hearing last week focused on how to improve the lives of working families. But unfortunately, not everyone agreed that Capitol Hill needed to lend a hand to lift wages. Full story at teamster.org.

Application deadline for scholarship is March 31.Mar. 24, 2014| The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund awards annual scholarships to qualifying high school seniors who are children or dependents of Teamster members. One category of awards totals $10,000 each. These four-year scholarships are disbursed at the rate of $2,500 per year and are renewable annually. Other awards are one-time $1,000 grants. These scholarships are disbursed to the college or university at the beginning of the recipient’s freshman year. Scholarship application GUIDE is here. Download application here.

Sysco, US Food members connect on FacebookMar. 26, 2014| With the Sysco-US Foods merger looming later this year, Teamster warehouse and drivers at both companies are looking for information about how the merger will impact their workplaces. The IBT's Warehouse Division created a Facebook page this month "for Sysco and US Foods employees to socialize and discuss the issues in the workplace that concern them." Stay informed and updated at Facebook.com/SyscoUSFworkers – check out the photos of Locals 355 and 570 while you're there - and join the text message alert system - text SyscoUSFnews at 86466 (not case sensitive).

A brief glimpse of human rights advances in the TeamstersMar. 31, 2014| Women and minorities have always been active in the labor movement. Much of the critical legislation that has been passed over the years started as grassroots movements from within one or more of these groups, even though they frequently did not receive credit or recognition for their efforts. Click here for information and stories that provide examples of the activities, issues and concerns of women and minutes, and how they are viewed and supported by the Teamsters.